The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said politicians who either defected to its fold recently or planning to do so, will be allowed to contest its 2019 presidential ticket.
The former ruling party explained that its constitution made it possible to accommodate the defectors in its desire to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2019.
A former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, defected from the APC to the PDP shortly before the latter held its elective national convention on December 9 and 10 in Abuja.
Though he said he had yet to make up his mind on whether to vie for the party’s ticket or not, it is however believed that Atiku would soon declare his intention as soon as the party roles out its programmes.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, told our correspondent in Abuja that all the new entrants and old members of the party would be allowed to test their popularity during the party’s primaries.
He said, “We are not closing our doors to new entrants who want to contest the party’s presidential ticket. Our doors are open to them.
“We have amended our constitution to take care of their interest as well as those of other members. We are looking for credible people to fly our ticket in 2019.
“We have amended the constitution, which has now reduced the years that defectors can stay in the party before contesting election from two years to just six months.”
Our correspondent gathered that the first meeting of the party’s NWC might hold in Abuja on Wednesday.
